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I think by now you all know how I feel about stories that involve Rodney yelling at John for stepping in front of that bullet, or Rodney yelling at John until John miraculously heals from his mental torment. And John, of course, grinning and enjoying it because "it's Rodney, it's what Rodney does, and it means that everything is okay."
With some stories, depending on how it's handled, I can buy it. With others, it leaves me rather frustrated because A: in terms of Rodney yelling at John for risking his life to save others, it's rather ungrateful and B: in terms of yelling at John until he heals or opens up, I'm a firm believer that such an action would only make it worse. Finally, even though ranting and raving tends to be Rodney's way of handling things, I feel there has to come a point where Sheppard has had enough - especially when the ranting and raving involves insulting John in some way. Going along with that, I just can't buy Rodney ever calling John an idiot or moron, at least to his face and at least not without John taking offense and fighting back.
However, I do find the potential consequences of such reactions intriguing. I've always wanted to read a story where John does become fed up with the berating, forced purging, insults, or ranting and raving. I've also wanted to write such stories. I've come up with quite a few ideas that involve the consequences of John being forced to open up (they keep turning into chapter fic, though, so it may be a while when or if I write them.) As for Rodney insulting John - getting after him for taking that bullet or what have you - I still haven't been able to come up with anything and doubt that I will. Like I said, I just can't see Rodney doing those things. Therefore, I can't bring myself to write him like that.
But I still find it a fascinating concept full of potential. The story wouldn't have to be centered around the consequences, but could be a subplot or maybe the catalyst to something bigger. Just an idea to ponder if anyone is in need of one. I'm still toying with the concept off and on myself. Hopefully it will result in a one-shot as I'm not ready to return to major chapter fics, yet.
With some stories, depending on how it's handled, I can buy it. With others, it leaves me rather frustrated because A: in terms of Rodney yelling at John for risking his life to save others, it's rather ungrateful and B: in terms of yelling at John until he heals or opens up, I'm a firm believer that such an action would only make it worse. Finally, even though ranting and raving tends to be Rodney's way of handling things, I feel there has to come a point where Sheppard has had enough - especially when the ranting and raving involves insulting John in some way. Going along with that, I just can't buy Rodney ever calling John an idiot or moron, at least to his face and at least not without John taking offense and fighting back.
However, I do find the potential consequences of such reactions intriguing. I've always wanted to read a story where John does become fed up with the berating, forced purging, insults, or ranting and raving. I've also wanted to write such stories. I've come up with quite a few ideas that involve the consequences of John being forced to open up (they keep turning into chapter fic, though, so it may be a while when or if I write them.) As for Rodney insulting John - getting after him for taking that bullet or what have you - I still haven't been able to come up with anything and doubt that I will. Like I said, I just can't see Rodney doing those things. Therefore, I can't bring myself to write him like that.
But I still find it a fascinating concept full of potential. The story wouldn't have to be centered around the consequences, but could be a subplot or maybe the catalyst to something bigger. Just an idea to ponder if anyone is in need of one. I'm still toying with the concept off and on myself. Hopefully it will result in a one-shot as I'm not ready to return to major chapter fics, yet.
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Date: 2008-05-14 07:42 pm (UTC)From:And i would see Rodney as maybe trying to get Sheppard back to health by snarking him and pushing him, because i think for someone like Sheppard that's what it's going to take to get him to pull himself together. I don't think Sheppard would take any of his comments to heart and feel bad - i think he'd know by now that Rodney is Rodney and that in his own way he'd be trying to help him - but he's not going to just sit there and take it. If Something gets to Sheppard and McKay pushes him to hard i can totally see him reacting too.
I don't think Sheppard would ever really open up. He'l give them glimpses, say enough to get by but i think for him, admitting what he's done, it would scare McKay. Maybe not Teyla and Ronon because they're a bit more hardy, but i cant see him truly opening up to McKay and telling him all about his past.
Jeez, did that make any sense LOL!!!
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Date: 2008-05-14 08:41 pm (UTC)From:It's usually the way that it's handled, though, that after a while bugs me. If it's Rodney reacting, then it's just Rodney reacting, but there have been stories where it's the whole team that reacts, berating Shepaprd for putting his life in danger. I know why the author does it and where they're trying to go with it, but sometimes they kind of... push it, I guess? There was a story I read where Carson totally got after Sheppard for "not taking care of himself and getting injured again." But the reason he had gotten injured in the first place was because, at the time, he and his men were under attack and Sheppard was trying to save them. It just didn't feel right that Sheppard would get so chewed out and belittled (by everyone, eventually) for doing what he had to do. I know they're just showing they care, it's just that I think the author could have handled it a lot better: had the characters show a little gratitude or at least some understanding as to why Sheppard did what he did (which they kind of didn't). But then the whole story was mostly one big fanon cliche.
I don't think Sheppard would feel bad, either - which many have pointed out. To me, though, it's not a matter of feeling bad but of being pushed. I feel that, after escaping a situation where all control was taken from Shep, there would come a point when all the pushing, prodding, berating and being told what to do by his friends would eventually - not really send him over the edge, but certainly bring him close to it. And Not Rodney's berating and pushing alone because, yeah, that's just Rodney. It's when it's everyone telling Sheppard to do this or that (mostly go see Heightmeyer or talk about what happened). I can see that kind of bombardment doing negative things to him, not matter the good intentions involved.
My biggest pet peeve when it comes to Rodney cajoling Sheppard back to good mental health is when the author protrays Rodney as this person who's suddenly in tune with the emotions of others, where he has all the answers to Sheppard's problems and gives those answers as though they were the most obvious thing in the world. It's nothing really prevalent or anything, but when I do run into it, it leaves me a little frustrated, as well as cheated of a potentially sweet Sheppard and McKay moment. I prefer it when Rodney bumbles his way verbally before finally saying something that does help Sheppard - because feels more like Rodney, as opposed to him spitting out the answers while rolling his eyes at Shep for being so obtuse, then grinning smugly when Sheppard realizes he has a point because Rodney is always right about everything.
Again, thankfully not prevalent, but I think the few that I have run into has left me a little extra picky when it comes to how Rodney and Sheppard interact. I love McKay on the show, but in fic, there are times I want to strangle him.